Nigeria: Cashew Production to Rise By 20 Percent in 2015

The National Cashew Association of Nigeria (NCAN) has said it expected a 20 per cent rise in cashew production in 2015.

Spokesman of the association, Mr Sotonye Anga, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

He said the expectation was based on the Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) adopted by farmers.

According to him, the association is strict on good quality practice to further drive global trading and export of the country's cashew.

Anga said the association has trained cashew farmers on GAP to ensure that they were well managed before and after harvest.

"From all indications, the Nigerian cashew season looks quite promising in 2015.

"At the moment, cashew farmers are adhering to sound post harvest crop management protocols.

"Overall, this will improve the cashew yield by 20 per cent in 2015 as we flag off the cashew season.

"Our farmers were trained on GAP to ensure that cashew farms are well managed before and after harvest," Anga said.

The spokesman said cashew trees across the federation had enjoyed favourable weather conditions. He said the association was determined to put Nigeria on top of the global cashew producing chart.

"Achieving the status of number one cashew producing country will not come by wishful thinking but by hard work. "This, we have come to know, and have worked hard in the days, weeks and months preceding this 2015 season.

"We will give buyers of Nigerian cashew value for their money," he said.

- All Africa